Both Husqvarna and Stihl are leading companies when it comes to chainsaw manufacturing. If you know anything about the world of chainsaws, you’ll know that these two companies have been locked in a battle for dominance against each for time immemorial.
Which Chainsaw should I choose?
It’s very hard to choose a clear winner in the Husqvarna vs Stihl chainsaws battle. You can find several opinion pieces online about why one or the other is superior, but once you go through them all, you’re still back in ground zero. Both of these chainsaw companies come with a large line up of products that serve various different purposes.Both Husqvarna and Stihl are leading companies when it comes to chainsaw manufacturing. If you know anything about the world of chainsaws, you’ll know that these two companies have been locked in a battle for dominance against each for time immemorial.
In fact, chainsaw users are often split into two sides. You’re either team Husqvarna or team Stihl. However, if you’re a novice user and you haven’t picked sides just yet, I hope this article will help you decide which chainsaw is better suited to your needs.
Husqvana vs Stihl, there are certain crucial differences.
1.Speed and Efficiency
It’s popularly agreed that Husqvarna chainsaws are faster and more aggressive in nature. As such, if your sole purpose is speed then maybe a Husqvarna chainsaw might suit you better. But then Stihl chainsaws have a low end torque which basically means that they’re better at effortlessly cutting through the hardest of hardwood of the largest diameters. So on the one hand you have speed, and on the other hand you have efficiency. Which one do you choose? Now let me be clear, when I say one has speed and the other efficiency, I’m only speaking in a relative sense. Both these chainsaws are insanely fast and accurate. Because they’re both so great, we’re down to splitting hairs here.
2.Materials
When it comes to materials, Husqvarna chainsaws use the best quality materials and their life span is a little longer than Stihl as a result of it.
3.Power
Stihl chainsaws are some of the most powerful beastly chainsaws in the world and they can easily slice through anything and everything. One of their products boasts 4 kW of power! Not even Husqvarna can come anywhere close to that.
4.Purchase
Both Husqvarna and Stihl differ in one very major aspect here. When it comes to ease of purchase, Husqvarna is miles ahead of Stihl for one major reason. Stihl chainsaws aren’t available online, and they’re only available with some select few dealers. In order to purchase a Stihl chainsaw, you need to go to the nearest vendor, go through a short training session, and only then can you purchase it. This is a lot more responsible, however if you’re looking to purchase a chainsaw easily, you’ll want to stick with a Husqvarna.
Stihl and Husqvarna Chainsaw Comparison
I’m pretty sure that the previous part of this article has left you more confused than ever about which chainsaw brand is superior. Hopefully this comparative table will help put things into perspective and make them a little clearer.
| Overview | Stihl Chainsaw | Husqvarna Chainsaw |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency | Comes with an auto-oiler feature that can lubricate the saw and chain while working, thus increasing its life. | Husqvarna Chainsaw Use of X-Torque technology makes the chainsaw fuel-efficient. |
| Handling | Anti-vibration handles make it easy to perform sensitive cutting operations. | LowVib features is ideal for using the chainsaw for long periods without fatigue. |
| Power | Electric, Battery, or Gar | Largely gas, some electric |
| Safety | QuickStop technology and Chain catcher help hold chain tightly and acts as a preemptive measure against possible kickbacks. The chainsaw can only be operated after tugging the master control lever. | Use of Kickback guard and Chain catcher to hold the chain in place and stop chainsaw during kickbacks. The chainsaw can only activate after toggling the Throttle lock. It also has an easily accessible emergency stop button. |
| Starting | Use of Easy2Start technology for quick and easy start. | Use of Quick starting feature to accelerate the start. |
| Weight | Range of 7-12 pounds. | Range of 10-13 pounds. |
Husqvarna Chainsaw Overview
Husqvarna has been a leader in the world of handheld tools since 1689. Ever since then it has constantly been upgrading itself and it has kept itself ahead of the curve in terms of tools, technologies, etc. The same is true for Husqvarna Chainsaws. They might be a tad expensive, but they’re some of the most rugged and fastest beasts in the market.
Some of the best compact and sleek gas chainsaws for pruning and trimming bushes are Husqvarna 440E and Husqvarna 445. These can effortlessly be used even by beginners and novices with little experience.
Husqvarna also has some great selections amongst their landowner chainsaws, which are used for more heavy duty projects, and pack a lot more power with much larger bars between 20” and 24” long. Some of the best Husqvarna landowner chainsaws are Husqvarna 460 Rancher with 60cc, and Husqvarna 455 Rancher with 55.5cc.
Stihl Chainsaw Overview
Stihl chainsaws may be considered snobby by some people, and some may consider them responsible. Their chainsaws are only available in select vendors, and to purchase them you have to go there personally, take a compulsory training session, and only then can you purchase it. That’s a lot of work. However, they do this to remain exclusive and make sure it doesn’t land in the hands of someone incapable of handling the machine.
Stihl chainsaws are also available for all kinds of purposes. If you want a small chainsaw for novices and beginners you can go for Stihl MS170, which has a 30.1cc engine. However, if you want something more powerful, you can go for Stihl MS290, which has a 56.5cc engine.
Other than gas chainsaws, you can also select some electric or battery-powered chainsaws, depending on your needs.
In Conclusion…
After having gone through all of the above, which one do you believe is better? The truth is, it’s hard to pass an objective judgment on one or the other. I can’t tell you whether to buy a Husqvarna or a Stihl. It’s a completely personal preference that depends on what are your needs specifically.
I suppose the only way to really settle the debate is for you to go to the nearest chainsaw showroom, and try out a range of chainsaws across both brands. This exercise will either turn you into Team Husqvarna or Team Stihl.
Whatever you decide to go with, please feel free to let me know down in the comments, and let me know if I could be of any help!rious different purposes. Furthermore, both of these companies are equally expensive, and they both use the highest quality of materials and state-of-the-art features. As such, they have a lot in common.
